1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to weight systems for dive equipment and more particularly to an active control releasable ballast system for use with dive equipment such as, but not limited to, dive belts, buoyancy compensators and diver harnesses.
2. Background of the Invention
Historically the cumbersome weight belt has provided the basic necessity of applying sufficient ballast to the body of a diver to obtain negative buoyancy for an unpropelled descent beneath the water. In more recent years a variety of buoyancy compensator (“BC”) and diver harness attached releasable weight systems have gained popularity. To date, none have sufficiently answered the majority of the basic premises of a safe, reliable and practically applicable releasable weight system. Current technology does not provide ease of use to a degree in which divers will actually release and re-insert the ballast for either practical or practice purposes on each dive. Conventional weighting systems are also notorious for shifting during a dive and creating balance and fit problems.
Since the inception of dive training organizations the dive industry has been fixated on “single point right hand” weight release systems and until recently did not consider any convenient options. In the early general consensus-forming period, reliable buoyancy aids with constant, variable volume, reusable and cost effective inflation did not exist. The only device known was an inflatable life preserver, which was inflated orally or by expensive non-reusable CO2 cartridges. The “horse collar” life vest device would become fully inflated and unsuitable for a subsequent descent without substantial time commitment to restore the device to the deflated and re-armed condition.
This “given” policy was predominantly the result of the equipment options and lack of understanding the role that rate of ascent plays in many dive accidents. Releasing all of the ballast at one time is not a reasonable and prudent action. A minimum amount of ballast release is required to establish sufficient positive buoyancy (considerably less than the full amount) to make a safe and un-propelled ascent from a distressing situation at depth. With the advent of the “power inflator”, BCs assumed the dual roles of a buoyancy adjuster at depth and a life vest at the surface. Also at this point in time, the single point, right hand release weight belt identified above became less critical as the sole means of mechanically assisting a diver achieving neutral and/or positive buoyancy.
The first successful widespread BC integrated weight systems failed at addressing the issue of controlling the ballast after activation of the release mechanism. Most current designs focus solely on the ability to quickly release the divers ballast but not control all or part of it immediately following primary release. Non-emergency values such as the ability to pass the weight off to a buddy or land it in a vessel once reaching the surface where generally not addressed until recently. Any subsequent designs that have addressed post primary release control have relied on the hook and loop fastener to provide attachment and detachment of the ballast or some sort of complex mechanical fastener that cannot be randomly utilized in-water. The hook and loop designs are all subject to the inherent variability associated with these product in water borne environments. Furthermore the hook and loop fastener tends to wear and change in degree of reliability without indication. Other disadvantages of the hook and loop fasteners include: (1) it can become fowled in a single outing without positive warning, and (2) it is far too variable to adequately accommodate the wide range of holding strengths required by the diverse set of ballast requirements inherent to diving (i.e. one diver may need two pounds per side whereas the next diver may need twenty pounds). This large volume of hook and loop needed has made weight release very challenging to deploy and expensive to produce.
In the past, dive instructors have been opposed to training with integrated weight system buoyancy compensator (BC) products due to the cumbersome or impossible nature of practicing weight release and re-insertion in-water. A portion of this reluctance is simply the high degree of effort and mechanical articulation required to re-insert the ballast member post release. Visual access for the wearer is yet another detriment, but an even more insidious and significant component is the more popular reliance on hook and loop as the primary fastening mechanism. Massive variations in actual ballast amount and shape greatly impact the design criteria of the hook and loop attachment, causing the industry to go to an absolute extreme amount and placement of hook and loop product to such a degree that it is now nearly impossible to reliably release the ballast, thus, once again deferring use in training and daily practice. A more reliable, predictable, and intentionally activated design was needed.
It is therefore to the effective shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed.